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Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 9:58 am
by dinny_g
I asked this before when I bought the house but can't find the response.
Our place has a fuse wire set-up, rather than Trip Switches (which I think is odd as the house was only built in 1986 but hey ho) and I'd like to get it changed. So far, touch wood, we haven't had any go but I'd sooner have a simple set-up to re-set if there's a surge etc.
Does anyone know if changing over is a relatively simple job of "Take old one off, fit new one and test" or is it more involved ? I just don't want to waste local tradies time getting a quote if it's a "several thousand pounds" job as we can't stretch to that at the moment
Cheers
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 10:02 am
by Jimexpl
dinny_g wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 9:58 am
I asked this before when I bought the house but can't find the response.
Our place has a fuse wire set-up, rather than Trip Switches (which I think is odd as the house was only built in 1986 but hey ho) and I'd like to get it changed. So far, touch wood, we haven't had any go but I'd sooner have a simple set-up to re-set if there's a surge etc.
Does anyone know if changing over is a relatively simple job of "Take old one off, fit new one and test" or is it more involved ? I just don't want to waste local tradies time getting a quote if it's a "several thousand pounds" job as we can't stretch to that at the moment
Cheers
Can you post a photo of the board as it is now?
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 10:49 am
by dinny_g
I don't know what image sharing sites still work in the UK but try this link to Amazon Photos...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/F ... f0AnRNLAeu
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 12:42 pm
by Jimexpl
Unfortunately you'll have to bin that whole board and start again.
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 12:47 pm
by dinny_g
Ok but would there be any major re-wiring etc or would it be limited to work in/around the board/box only??
Cheers Jim - really appreciate the expertise
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 3:56 pm
by simon_g
Get an EICR done for £200 or so, which will test the rest of the wiring in the house too and most electricians will want before changing it anyway. If that all checks out then replacing the consumer unit is a straightforward job.
Should be well under £1000 for both unless there's some other remedial work needed.
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 4:18 pm
by dinny_g
That's great lads - 100% answers my question and tells me everything I need.
We've been here for 4+ years and we haven't had an issue and despite the fact I have all of the necessary spare fuse wires, I really don't ever want to have to do that because... well... look who's asking the question...
I'll leave it at that...
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 6:31 pm
by Matty
Mine was similar when I moved in - got an electrician in to replace it, ended up condemning the whole house and completely rewiring...so, be prepared for that
£1500 all in though, as I'd gutted the house anyway back to brick so easy done. Alas, this was nearly 15 years ago, so probably more now!
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2025 10:39 pm
by jamcg
dinny_g wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 12:47 pm
Ok but would there be any major re-wiring etc or would it be limited to work in/around the board/box only??
Cheers Jim - really appreciate the expertise
Depends on your wiring. It’s really common to find houses with this type of board don’t have any earth wiring in the lighting circuits.
As others have said an electrician will be able to test the wiring in the house and the readings will tell them what needs doing- if the readings are off, and you fit an rcd to the wiring, it’ll just trip all the time- plus if there’s no earth in the lights you can’t fit an rcd without any earths
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2025 7:22 am
by dinny_g
Ok cheers Jim
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2025 9:44 am
by Jimexpl
jamcg wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 10:39 pm
dinny_g wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 12:47 pm
Ok but would there be any major re-wiring etc or would it be limited to work in/around the board/box only??
Cheers Jim - really appreciate the expertise
Depends on your wiring. It’s really common to find houses with this type of board don’t have any earth wiring in the lighting circuits.
As others have said an electrician will be able to test the wiring in the house and the readings will tell them what needs doing- if the readings are off, and you fit an rcd to the wiring, it’ll just trip all the time- plus if there’s no earth in the lights you can’t fit an rcd without any earths
Exactly this - we subcontract 90% of our electrical work out to a partner, as we focus on the fun stuff, but it's very common in London on rental properties to find that a poor electrician has updated the board on a landlord check/service, then the tenant moves in and it trips out all of the time because they didn't test the earths properly.
Or you get really unlucky and there's aluminium rather than copper wiring!
Re: Any Sparky's in the house
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2025 10:39 am
by dinny_g
Given that it's due for an inspection in 2026, that's probably the right opportunity to answer some of these questions.
The house isn't the best build so it wouldn't surprise me of there are gremlins in system
The extensions looks like it was built by David Kelly...
